2014 by the numbers

Happy New Year's Eve!  Have you been waiting for my wrap up?!  No?  Oh, well, here it is anyway.  Honestly, this was one of the fastest years I can remember.  Maybe because I turned 50.  Maybe because I took so many sick days!  I’ve never worked from home so much – next year had better be more healthy (for me AND my sister)!  Work was again busy busy and boy, did I eat a lot of good food!  In case you’re interested, here’s how 2014 stacked up:

• Theater visits: 70 (I’m counting all the Humana plays in here)
• Ballet visits: 11
• Readings/workshops: 4 (I had to miss NAMT this year because of my sister’s medical drama)
• Concerts: 2
• New museums: 3 (super duper lazy – need to do better in 2015)
• New restaurants: 14 (that’s pretty good!)
• Movies:  10 (that’s more than I’ve seen in years!)
• Trips for work:  2 (not enough!)
• Hotels visited for work:  13
• Doctor visits (for me):  5
• Doctors seen (for my sister):  it’s got to be around 20
• Ambulance rides:  2
• Dentist visits:  7

Here are my 2014 Favorite Theater Pieces.  These are in no particular order (but maybe my extra-favorites are represented by photos)…

• Outside Mullingar
• Sweeney Todd in Concert
• The Happiest Song Plays Last
• Act One
• The Cripple of Inishmaan
• The Christians (at Humana)
• The Bridges of Madison County
• Macbeth (at the Park Avenue Armory)
• tick, tick…BOOM
• The Tribute Artist
• Sec 310, Row D, Seats 5 & 6 (Summer Shorts at 59e59)
• Indian Ink
• Love Letters
• The Band Wagon 
• My Favorite Year (Musicals in Mufti at the York)

And, again, I had so much good food, I had to do my Top 14 (plus an honorable mention and a sad goodbye) of 2014 Food Experiences!  I should also do a Food Hall of Fame, where my fried green tomatoes, sweet tea and po’boys can go, but that’s for next year.  Oh, and seriously, just like last year, I’m asking: can someone start a Kickstarter campaign to get me a camera with a ‘food’ setting??

• Lobster ravioli at Le Singe Vert
• Roasted chicken at Nougatine
• Pork belly at Ca Va
• Bob white quail/brandied cherry bacon lollipop at Rancho Bernardo (San Diego)
• Spaghetti with clams at George’s at the Cove (La Jolla)
• Whipped lardo bruschetta at Terroir
• Coq au vin at AOC
• Bacon, egg & cheese waffle at Sugar & Plumm
• Corn chowder at Butter
• Zuppa alla tarantina at Lincoln
• Black cod miso at Nobu
• Spice cake with pumpkin ice cream and cinnamon meringues at the Lambs Club
• Lobster bisque at Ca Va
• Cinnamon fritters with three dipping sauces at La Fonda del Sol
• HONORABLE MENTION:  everything at the Thanksgiving dinner cooked by my former-fellow-Queens-adventurer-but-now-he’s-moved-away :)
• And a sad goodbye to the most wonderful, delicious matzoh ball soup ever at the Cafe Edison.  It (and the cafe) will be missed...

You know what?  I also had some SPECTACULAR cocktails – here were my favorites:

• Raspberry limoncello sangria at Meson Sevilla
• Ginger margarita at Nougatine
• Storm Catcher at Bathtub Gin
• Gypsy Lord at Bea
• Fall Fashion at the Lambs Club
• Pomegranate margarita at La Fonda del Sol

Let's raise a glass to 2014 - goodbye to you and hello to 2015!  May there be more theater, ballet, great food, spectacular cocktails, and adventurous days ahead!!